Elon Musk, Kanye West and Uber subject to Bitcoin twitter hack
On July 15, 2020, Twitter experienced one of the most significant security breaches in its history when high-profile accounts were hacked in a Bitcoin scam. The incident involved the accounts of numerous public figures and companies, including Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Kanye West, Apple, and Uber. Each compromised account tweeted a similar message: followers were invited to send Bitcoin to a specific address with the promise of receiving double the amount in return.
The hackers managed to pull off the scam by gaining access to Twitter's internal tools, which allowed them to bypass account security and post the fraudulent messages. Initial speculation suggested the attack might have been carried out by sophisticated cybercriminals or even state-sponsored actors due to its scale and the high-profile nature of the targeted accounts. However, it was later revealed that the breach was orchestrated by a small group of young individuals.
Investigations showed that the hackers employed social engineering techniques to deceive Twitter employees and gain access to internal systems. This included tricking employees into providing their login credentials through a phishing attack via phone. With these credentials, the hackers were able to access Twitter's admin tools, reset email addresses linked to the affected accounts, and disable multi-factor authentication.
The scam netted the attackers over 12 bitcoins ($100,000) within a few hours. Although the financial gain was relatively modest compared to the potential impact, the breach raised significant concerns about the security of social media platforms and the vulnerability of influential accounts. The incident demonstrated how easily trust can be exploited on a global scale, and it highlighted the need for better security measures and internal controls.
Twitter responded by temporarily locking all verified accounts to prevent further fraudulent posts while the issue was being addressed. The company also launched a thorough investigation and cooperated with law enforcement agencies, including the FBI. Subsequently, Twitter enhanced its security protocols, particularly concerning access to its internal tools.
In the days following the attack, authorities arrested three individuals believed to be behind the breach: Graham Ivan Clark, a 17-year-old from Florida; Nima Fazeli, 22, from Orlando; and Mason Sheppard, 19, from the United Kingdom. Clark, considered the mastermind, faced numerous charges, including fraud and identity theft. The legal proceedings underscored the severe consequences of cybercrimes and the efforts of international cooperation in tackling such incidents.
